A DEPICTION OF EFL LEARNERS’ RHETORICAL STRATEGIES IN THEIR
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL LINGUISTICS
PERSPECTIVE( A CASE STUDY AT IAIN SYEKH NURJATI CIREBON )
Susi Nurjanah.14121320260. A Depiction of EFL Learners’ Rhetorical Strategies in Their
Argumentative Essay: A systemic Linguistics Perspective.
This present study explores the language used as rhetorical strategies in EFL learners’
argumentative essay. In general, rhetoric is seen as an art of communication used by speaker
and/or writer to modify perception of other people. Failures to keep to the writing standard and
rhetorical pattern are likely to lower the acceptance rate. While producing an academic article of
argumentative essay is understandably a complex task, it is even more difficult if one is writing
in his or her second or third language.The genre of argumentative is indicated as the one of
important text in advanced level of schooling. According to Knapp and Watkins (2005: 188)
state that the genre of arguing is an important and influential language process, essential for
dealing with many aspects of school knowledge and effective social participation. It is a process
that involves reasoning, evaluation and persuasion.
Essentially, this study is aimed to find out the kinds of rhetorical strategies used by EFL
learners’ in their argumentative essays and also to know how such strategies enact to the genre of
argumentative. In addition, this study has two boards of research significances; theoretically, the
perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics was greatly employed to execute the data,
therefore this study is aimed to add valuable findings in linguistics field, especially Systemic
Functional Linguistics, and practically this study may inspire teacher become aware of their
learners’ proficiency and the kinds of guidance different students might need, perhaps feeding
into teaching of localized strategies for writers.
Moreover, this study employs a qualitative analysis as its design. The use of qualitative,
as Dawson (2009) states that a qualitative research is a kind of depth analysis which provides us
a tool to explore attitude, behavior, and experiences. Additionally, the researcher uses the
method of document analysis to execute the data. The data was executed greatly through the
idea of Systemic Functional Linguistics which shows how every single word creates certain
meaning potential in the essays. The analysis of meaning potential (semiogenic) which is
defined by Dudely-Evans and St Jhon (1998) as a study of the structural and linguistic
regularities of particular genre or text types and the role they play within a discourse community.
Finally, the data from this present research shows that from the three rhetorical strategies
(Logos, Ethos and Pathos) there is a dominant rhetorical strategy used by EFL learners in their
essay, namely Logos. The idea of rhetorical strategies was reflected by the arrangement of
words unit in the essays. Specifically, every word in clauses creates its own pattern which
provides us spaces to indicate the meaning potential. The meanings potential were explored by
the use of thematic system and cohesive devices which straightly corresponds also the genre of
argumentative essays.
Keywords : Rhetorical strategies, Argumentative Essay, EFL learners, Systemic
Functional Linguistics, Toulmin Model of Argumen
